Wichita eagle., 1887-08-21
MORE BRICK.
The Foreat City Dry Pressed
q Brick Company Ready ~
For Operation.
A Capital Stock Of One Hundred
Thousand Dollars and q Daily
Capacity of One Hun
dred Thousand Brick.

Near the last of May Mr. l.. B. Kennedy
of st. Louis, arrived in the city for the pur
pose of starting dry pressed brick plant
At that time it was not certain that Their
was any clay near the city that was suitet
to that business. Mr. Kennedy commenced
a hunt for some clay thinking that the frs
question to be settled. After some search b
found vein about four miles south of Doug
las avenue which he thought would answe
the purpose 1t was submitted to test anc
proved a very excellent clay for dry presset
brick.
Having found the clay he introduced hi
ENTERPRISE to number of the business mel
of the city and company was organized
consisting of the following gentlemen: VIII
liam Mathewsor. R. M. Piett, Chas. Kincaid
| o. Martinson, II. H. Harsha, Frank Todd
Robert Jacks, Sites Bros, and L. B. Ken
pedy. The capital stock Of the company
was placed at 100000. Mr.. Mathewsor
was made president of the company
Mr.. Piatt, treasurer, and Mr.. Todd secretary.
| The directors are Messrs. Mathewson, Piatt
| and L. B. Kennedy, and the company is to
| be known as the Forest City Dry Pressed
Brick company.
A number Of acres Of land were bought on
Kuhns farm on which is the fine vein of clay.
| The vein is near thirty feet thick covered by
layer of s. il near two feet thick. The soil
has been removed from near four acres of
the clay which is of reddish color and con-
tains little sand and is tenacious. The clay
is plowed up and is then run over by pull
verizer. 1t is then taken to the clay sheds
by wagons Brick can he made from the
clay when it is first taken from the vein.
The sheds are filed with clay which csn be
used in rainy season when it would be i'm
possible to getit from the vein.
At present only one clay shed has been
built. 1t is 50xSO feet and now contains clay
sufficient to make 600, 0C0 brick. The COM
pany will commence work this week on two
more ST eds each the size of the one already
co instructed They will be filed with clay to be
used in rainy season. The three will give
shed capacity of two millions of brick.
The building in which the machinery is
placed is 5ox40 feet. 1t is located feWsfeet
west of the Santa Fe track and arrangements
have been made for switch six hundred feet
long accommodating eighteen cars Iron
and ties are on the ground and the switch
will be constructed this week. Coal and
wood used by the plant can be secured by the
company from the Santa Fe at Wichita
fha Of ralnolipor
and hauling. Also the output of the plant
can be put on cars and with little expense
sent to the city. The shipping facilities of
the plant, it seems, could scarcely be better.
The company has experienced considerable
trouble in getting water. A well located at
the plant was sunk fifty feet, which is eighteen
feet below the level of the river, but no water
was reached. The bottom Of the well is dry
and seems to be able to exclude
all water. 1t has been decided to pump
the water from well near the river
and probe bly, by tomorrow the plant can be
supplied. The plant will probably be started
tomorrow. 1t will give employment to
about thirty hands. 1t is proposed to run
both Gay and night. The orders demand the |
-ush and the company seems to be glad that
t does.
The clay is dumped into the clay crusber |
which puts it into condition for brick max
ng 1t is then elevated to the top of the
machines and going through comes out
,reen brich.
There are two machines, each having a
~, - al -
hours or $4,000 brick on a run of twenty
hours. The machines are the Kennedy dry
pressed brick machines made in st. Lous by
smith, Beggs & Rar kin. The latest patent
vas issued over year ago and quite a num-
'er have been put in operation since that
ime. The pressure is gained by a lever
Il the first order and system CT tile joints.
At the point of greatest pressure the pivots
nd series of joints are in a straight line.
ZACH brick is subject TO a pressure of fifty
ons.
The steam for the plant is furnished by a
ixty horse power. The engine is also sixty |
orss power. 4
The brick is taken direct from the machine
D the kiln. 1t is burned ten days and then
i've seven days to cool, then being Re ady for
alls. The company will put up four kilns
ach having a capacity of 100000 brick. One
as been constructed and hands are at work /
n the others.
The company will operate the two ma
hines fl, some weeks and expect to put in
'me more. They will probably add two
lore which will give the plant daily capac-
y of 10000 brick.